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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4 stars. This one was so sad and I remember it upsetting me terribly as a child. LOL. I hated this one because of what happened to Louie but again, grown up loved this one. This series is just so delightful and even though this one made me sad even now it was still a fun read.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
lighthearted
sad
Before I get to my actual review, a quick disclaimer: Ever since I learned that Netflix was reimagining one of my favorite childhood book series, I had decided that I would be embarking on a re-read of this series, reliving a series of books that helped to shape me into a voracious reader. I am so excited to embark on this travel back in time. I don't expect to be mentally stimulated -- I mean, I'm not exactly a pre-teen middle-schooler these days -- but I make no apology for choosing to enjoy this series from the perspective of adulthood. Don't expect me to have any sort of psychoanalyst or feminist sermonizing on the appropriateness of the situations or the effects on a young girl reading these books; there's plenty of that to go around already. I'm here for the nostalgia and the meander down memory lane.
**********
I recall, back in the day, that I was a bit unenthused about this book. When I would make one of my many regular pilgrimages through this series, this was one that always made me groan a bit. I don't know if it was the topic of death or the snobby girls making me feel uncomfortable. Regardless, I was curious to see what my verdict would be from the vantage point of adulthood.
What I liked about Kristy and the Snobs:
::sob:: Louie - One of the things that made me feel meh about this book as a child. Maybe it's my more mature perspective on death. Maybe it's that I've had a pet of my own now. Maybe it's just that I appreciate how much feeling these scenes were written with. All I know is I felt them in a different way than I did when I read this book, lo, these many years ago.
Kristy's self awareness - I really appreciated that Kristy was able to admit that maybe she'd been quick to judge. Aren't we all, at least from time to time? The reminder is a helpful nudge.
The chicken pox brigade - The pox-y Pikes has long remained one of my favorite sitting events in this series. I wonder if it stuck with me because chicken pox seemed such an unknown for me, as when I was first reading these books, I was yet to experience their misery? (I think I was in sixth grade at first read? And I didn't get them until two years later.) I know that to this day, I sympathize with poor Margo, though.
What I didn't care for:
Dawn and Jeff - This is a pretty minor beef, but it felt like these scenes were a bit melodramatic. Or maybe it's just that Dawn irritates me and I want to find reasons to nitpick her presence.
What left me conflicted:
The pranks - These kids are far more creative with their pranks than I ever could have been. If I were a prank sort of person. But I'm not because my heart is too soft for that sort of behavior. However, I distinctly remembered wanting to kick Shannon in the knee for what she pulled while Kristy was sitting for the Papadakis family, and reading it again, the sentiment has not changed. In fact, it made me want to do it even more, understanding the scope of what she did, and no, I don't care that she is perpetually a middle-schooler and I am now a grown adult.
I ended up liking this one more now than I ever did then. For one, it actually made me blink back tears on more than one occasion. It also made me laugh right out loud, despite the fact that I'm about 35 years past the target audience. I am hereby awarding an additional star to my original rating, upping it from three to four.
**********
I recall, back in the day, that I was a bit unenthused about this book. When I would make one of my many regular pilgrimages through this series, this was one that always made me groan a bit. I don't know if it was the topic of death or the snobby girls making me feel uncomfortable. Regardless, I was curious to see what my verdict would be from the vantage point of adulthood.
What I liked about Kristy and the Snobs:
::sob:: Louie - One of the things that made me feel meh about this book as a child. Maybe it's my more mature perspective on death. Maybe it's that I've had a pet of my own now. Maybe it's just that I appreciate how much feeling these scenes were written with. All I know is I felt them in a different way than I did when I read this book, lo, these many years ago.
Kristy's self awareness - I really appreciated that Kristy was able to admit that maybe she'd been quick to judge. Aren't we all, at least from time to time? The reminder is a helpful nudge.
The chicken pox brigade - The pox-y Pikes has long remained one of my favorite sitting events in this series. I wonder if it stuck with me because chicken pox seemed such an unknown for me, as when I was first reading these books, I was yet to experience their misery? (I think I was in sixth grade at first read? And I didn't get them until two years later.) I know that to this day, I sympathize with poor Margo, though.
What I didn't care for:
Dawn and Jeff - This is a pretty minor beef, but it felt like these scenes were a bit melodramatic. Or maybe it's just that Dawn irritates me and I want to find reasons to nitpick her presence.
What left me conflicted:
The pranks - These kids are far more creative with their pranks than I ever could have been. If I were a prank sort of person. But I'm not because my heart is too soft for that sort of behavior. However, I distinctly remembered wanting to kick Shannon in the knee for what she pulled while Kristy was sitting for the Papadakis family, and reading it again, the sentiment has not changed. In fact, it made me want to do it even more, understanding the scope of what she did, and no, I don't care that she is perpetually a middle-schooler and I am now a grown adult.
I ended up liking this one more now than I ever did then. For one, it actually made me blink back tears on more than one occasion. It also made me laugh right out loud, despite the fact that I'm about 35 years past the target audience. I am hereby awarding an additional star to my original rating, upping it from three to four.
Kristy clashes with her new neighbors; pet death.
Kristy doesn’t fit in in her new neighborhood. Louie, her old, sick collie, looks scruffy and bedraggled next to next-door neighbor Shannon Kilbourne’s well-groomed Bernese mountain dog, Astrid of Grenville. The Delaney kids are snotty and demanding. And Shannon and her sister Tiffany keep playing practical jokes on Kristy while she baby-sits, such as ordering unwanted pizzas or calling her to tell her the house is on fire when it isn’t. Kristy finally figures out that Shannon used to be the main baby-sitter of the neighborhood, and she’s territorial. Shannon feels bad for Kristy when Louie dies (event planner Karen invites the Kilbournes to Louie’s funeral), and gives her one of Astrid’s puppies. David Michael names the puppy Shannon. Kristy asks Shannon to join the BSC, but she is too busy to make the time commitment; she agrees to be an associate member like Logan.
I always forget how good this one is. The babysitting turf war and death of a pet plotlines are unrelated except when they’re not; they interact in some surprising, fun ways, and give each other perspective. Shannon’s meanness is sufficiently justified to make her transition from villain to hero believable (Kristy would act just the same way if she were a solo baby-sitter facing down a presumptuous club). Louie’s suffering and the family’s attempts to prolong his life, and their decision to put him down, are heartbreaking, especially on behalf of poor David Michael.
Stop the Presses: Kristy misses a meeting to take care of Louie, letting Dawn take over as president.
Timing: Early in the school year. Kristy explains that, what with the BSC activities over the summer, she didn’t really start interacting with the snobs until early in the school year. (Her first encounter with Shannon, in which Shannon amusingly calls her "jerk-face," takes place while waiting for the school bus.) The events seem to begin before or simultaneous with the events of book #10, and of course they conclude later (since Logan is already an associate member).
Kristy doesn’t fit in in her new neighborhood. Louie, her old, sick collie, looks scruffy and bedraggled next to next-door neighbor Shannon Kilbourne’s well-groomed Bernese mountain dog, Astrid of Grenville. The Delaney kids are snotty and demanding. And Shannon and her sister Tiffany keep playing practical jokes on Kristy while she baby-sits, such as ordering unwanted pizzas or calling her to tell her the house is on fire when it isn’t. Kristy finally figures out that Shannon used to be the main baby-sitter of the neighborhood, and she’s territorial. Shannon feels bad for Kristy when Louie dies (event planner Karen invites the Kilbournes to Louie’s funeral), and gives her one of Astrid’s puppies. David Michael names the puppy Shannon. Kristy asks Shannon to join the BSC, but she is too busy to make the time commitment; she agrees to be an associate member like Logan.
I always forget how good this one is. The babysitting turf war and death of a pet plotlines are unrelated except when they’re not; they interact in some surprising, fun ways, and give each other perspective. Shannon’s meanness is sufficiently justified to make her transition from villain to hero believable (Kristy would act just the same way if she were a solo baby-sitter facing down a presumptuous club). Louie’s suffering and the family’s attempts to prolong his life, and their decision to put him down, are heartbreaking, especially on behalf of poor David Michael.
Stop the Presses: Kristy misses a meeting to take care of Louie, letting Dawn take over as president.
Timing: Early in the school year. Kristy explains that, what with the BSC activities over the summer, she didn’t really start interacting with the snobs until early in the school year. (Her first encounter with Shannon, in which Shannon amusingly calls her "jerk-face," takes place while waiting for the school bus.) The events seem to begin before or simultaneous with the events of book #10, and of course they conclude later (since Logan is already an associate member).
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes